Filipino Scam

[Canucks3322]

Interesting, guess I'll have to change my donations... Thanks.

[Skyline_Addict]

As a charitable organization, United way's financials are supposedly available to the public. I don't care to verify it myself but apparently the CEO takes a $400k salary every year. What. The. Fuck.

[bjstare]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
As a charitable organization, United way's financials are supposedly available to the public. I don't care to verify it myself but apparently the CEO takes a $400k salary every year. What. The. Fuck.

If anyone actually took a second to read the financials they'd see that giving money to United Way isn't actually like throwing it down the sewer. If you read it, you'd see that the overhead costs only account for 10% of the dollars they raise (one of the lowest in Canada for charitable organizations). The CRA doesn't even consider looking at you unless your costs rise above ~30%. And without looking it up, I know the CEO makes good money, but I'm like 99% sure it's less than 400k.

I don't work for them, but I am a supporter. I used to have the same critical outlook as you guys until I actually did a little research for myself instead of taking other peoples word at face value

[egmilano]

Originally posted by sexualbanana
If you close your eyes while they talk, they usually sound like minions.

Word, brother and I have had a theory that minions are simply filipinos too lol.


Ive had them come to my place in coventry. I saw a guitar and decided not to answer the door lol.

[FraserB]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
As a charitable organization, United way's financials are supposedly available to the public. I don't care to verify it myself but apparently the CEO takes a $400k salary every year. What. The. Fuck.

For 2013-12-31, the highest paid position at United Way of Calgary and Area is between $300k and $350k. At the same time, revenues were $65.5 million and fundraising/admin/management expenses were 10%. So not too bad considering they had to compete with O&G for their management.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by cjblair


If anyone actually took a second to read the financials they'd see that giving money to United Way isn't actually like throwing it down the sewer. If you read it, you'd see that the overhead costs only account for 10% of the dollars they raise (one of the lowest in Canada for charitable organizations). The CRA doesn't even consider looking at you unless your costs rise above ~30%. And without looking it up, I know the CEO makes good money, but I'm like 99% sure it's less than 400k.

I don't work for them, but I am a supporter. I used to have the same critical outlook as you guys until I actually did a little research for myself instead of taking other peoples word at face value

Well they used to be closer to 17% and the fact remains it's a needless overheard that takes away from the money you are contributing since another round of overhead costs hit at the target charity. There is NO need for a middleman for charitable donations. Even if they were only taking 5% it's 5% that your charity of choice doesn't get.

I've seen them come into my places of work with their dog and pony show a dozen times over the years trying to pretend that if you give them your money they'll make sure it goes where it's "needed" most. lulz. In my opinion that's just fine for someone who just wants to make themselves feel good by giving X amount of dollars every month but if you have a cause you feel strongly about supporting the simplest of math says you are doing it a disservice by letting the United Way get their cut first.

End Rant.

EDIT - Taken right from their website (rant cont.)

On average across the country, local United Ways Centraides spend 15 per cent of total revenue on fundraising and administration costs,

And this link will confirm the CEO of the Calgary Area United Way makes over 300K. Which is fine, so long as you realize they are running a BUSINESS and not a charity:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/s...CALGARYANDAREA

Essentially, they paid out over 12 million in salaries and fees to run their business in 2013. Personally I don't buy the argument that no one would have donated that money if not for the United Way (their propaganda makes it sound like they're the Messiah of giving). If you feel the target charities from people's donations couldn't have used that $12,000,000.00 then you can support them all you like. I certainly choose not too.

And the end of the day it's ok if you decide you are comfortable with their business model, I personally am not.

Rant done v. 2.0!

[tenth]

Originally posted by FraserB
For 2013-12-31, the highest paid position at United Way of Calgary and Area is between $300k and $350k. At the same time, revenues were $65.5 million and fundraising/admin/management expenses were 10%. So not too bad considering they had to compete with O&G for their management.

On the surface that would be okay, but if you look at where the bulk of the rest of the money goes (73% of remaining 90%), it is to other local charities, which would lead me to believe you're better off giving directly to other charities then to a middleman where your dollars end up funding at least 2 sets of charity overhead. It also varies wildly over the dozens of different united ways that have been setup in nearly every city and town in the country. Calgary is 10% fundraising/admin/management, Winnipeg is 19% (and heavily proportioned towards fundraising), Ottawa 13% and the national organization is 41% (albeit with limited revenue).

Ignoring my feelings on being middleman I do agree the salary is relatively reasonable for an organizational leader in Calgary. Other cities top paid United Way employees are much lower (most cities 200-250k range). If you want somebody that's good at what they do leading the organization, that doesn't seem completely unreasonable.

Good on you for looking it up with the CRA though. It's super easy, and my go to before donating anywhere these days. I really got curious after donating to Heart and Stroke and the Canadian Cancer Society a number of years back, and then getting promotional garbage in the mail every month thereafter. I don't think anybody wants a large chunk of their donation to go towards fundraising, and for a lot of the big ones that is where it ends up.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/.../menu-eng.html

EDIT: Beat by JRS. Well said.

Here's the link for Children's Joy Foundation (hopefully working). 86% of their donations are supposedly receipted and again supposedly no employees (just $10k of consulting costs).
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/s...sJoyFoundation

[bjstare]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


Well they used to be closer to 17% and the fact remains it's a needless overheard that takes away from the money you are contributing since another round of overhead costs hit at the target charity. There is NO need for a middleman for charitable donations. Even if they were only taking 5% it's 5% that your charity of choice doesn't get.

I've seen them come into my places of work with their dog and pony show a dozen times over the years trying to pretend that if you give them your money they'll make sure it goes where it's "needed" most. lulz. In my opinion that's just fine for someone who just wants to make themselves feel good by giving X amount of dollars every month but if you have a cause you feel strongly about supporting the simplest of math says you are doing it a disservice by letting the United Way get their cut first.

End Rant.

EDIT - Taken right from their website (rant cont.)

And this link will confirm the CEO of the Calgary Area United Way makes over 300K. Which is fine, so long as you realize they are running a BUSINESS and not a charity:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/s...CALGARYANDAREA

Essentially, they paid out over 12 million in salaries and fees to run their business in 2013. Personally I don't buy the argument that no one would have donated that money if not for the United Way (their propaganda makes it sound like they're the Messiah of giving). If you feel the target charities from people's donations couldn't have used that $12,000,000.00 then you can support them all you like. I certainly choose not too.

And the end of the day it's ok if you decide you are comfortable with their business model, I personally am not.

Rant done v. 2.0!

These are all fair points, and like you said, people have to give to charities they feel comfortable with.

FWIW over half of my total donations every year go directly to agencies I've selected myself - I just came in here to say United Way (in Calgary specifically, they're worse most other places) is not the big evil empire that people make it out to be, once you actually learn how they operate.

[FraserB]

For people looking to donate to low overhead groups, there are a lot of local charities that are in the low single digits that really need funding.

Charity Intelligence is another good resource for finding good places to donate your money or time. *Insert shameless plug for the food bank here.*

[tehwegz]

I'm half. My mother, she packs a giant box of stuff every other month and sends it there to help her rather large group of family/friends. I give whatever half way decent stuff I don't need, or bought but never used, etc.

I donate stuff to Salvation Army sometimes. I gave some items to the Food Bank a couple weeks ago.

But throwing money at charities after everything I've heard about them...sounds like another voluntary tax, sort of like the lottery except you at least get a sliver of a sliver of a chance of winning something big.

[Meback]

I encourage people to publicly shame those scammers openly. I did it today in the canadian tire parking lot on 36. Saw her scamming some poor soul and called her out in a parking lot full of people. Public shaming works. But some might argue pinoys have no shame. No racist.

[nj2Type-S]

Originally posted by Meback
But some might argue pinoys have no shame. No racist.

gotta do what you gotta do!

ughh...seen them at a canadian tire and at the chinook mall food court.

[Hallowed_point]

2022 Update, looks like this is still going on. Some Filipino ladies came to my building and started singing and asking for donations for the Philippines.

I told them that I went to Jollibee on Macleod last week for lunch and I'm not hungry at the moment.

[flipstah]

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2022 Update, looks like this is still going on. Some Filipino ladies came to my building and started singing and asking for donations for the Philippines.

I told them that I went to Jollibee on Macleod last week for lunch and I'm not hungry at the moment.

Support the bee! Chickenjoy mmmm

[Hallowed_point]

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Support the bee! Chickenjoy mmmm

Best part of working with pinoys is when they bring food in (if they tell the white guy)

[mr2mike]

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Even most "legit" charities are a scam.

Keep in mind Canada has about 80,000 registered charities.

WE comes to mind.

[killramos]

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WE comes to mind.

WE was just a very loosely disguised lifestyle brand.

[ExtraSlow]

It was posted earlier in this thread, but charity intelligence has info if you want to start digging.

Low overhead and high impact is one of the reasons I like food banks and dislike medical charities.

[C4S]

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Or they are a musical band, the four of them, one with a guitar, stroll into a restaurant and start playing. I generally stop them before they start and say: no thanks have a good day. Good bye.

If I'm gonna donate, I'm gonna donate to the kids here.

Yes Yes, Crazy!! Happened to me few year ago!! Surprise it is still going on! Will not open door again if I see similar combination!

[Buster]

It's this Asian on Asian crime? I never get harassed by a band of traveling minstrel Filipino gypsies.